A man stabbed in an "unprovoked attack" outside a Home Office building in central London is a government worker.
One man has been arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm after the assault on Marsham Street in Westminster.
The victim went inside the Home Office building for help. The building was put on lock-down, to get help following the assault at around 1pm on Thursday.
It later emerged the victim works for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG), which is based on the same street as the Home Office.
Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said: "I am deeply shocked by this horrific attack on a colleague today.
"My thoughts, and those of all my staff, are with him and his family. We are ready to provide as much support as we can and we all wish him a speedy recovery.
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The Metropolitan Police said the incident is "not being treated as terrorism-related" but added that officers are "still keeping an open mind with regards any possible motive".
An image shared online appeared to show a bloodied, topless man being helped by a police officer and someone from the ambulance service.
Eyewitness Gareth Milner said he was eating his lunch on the wall outside the Home Office when “a number of armed police officers arrived on scene and entered the building”.
Lots of armed police and a cordon going up outside the Home Office pic.twitter.com/aj0RqDnPsm
— Gareth Milner (@sw1a0aa) August 15, 2019
“Some time later a gentleman with quite a bloodied face and with dressing pressed into his face was escorted out of the Home Office by paramedics,” said Mr Milner, who works nearby for the Centre for Policy Studies think-tank.
“He was quiet and walking on his own feet, not being physically supported,” he added.
Mr Milner said a police officer told him someone had been stabbed in the incident, but gave no further details.
Home Secretary Priti Patel tweeted: “All my thoughts are with the victim and their family following horrific unprovoked knife attack on Marsham Street.”
All my thoughts are with the victim and their family following horrific unprovoked knife attack on Marsham Street.
— Priti Patel MP (@patel4witham) August 15, 2019
A cordon has been set up, with two police cars outside and several others parked nearby.
The Metropolitan Police said they were called to a report of a man with a knife on the street.
Police called at 13:06 to Marsham Street, Westminster following a report of a man with a knife. Officers attended to find one man with knife injuries.@Ldn_Ambulance attended where they are currently with the injured man.
— Metropolitan Police (@metpoliceuk) August 15, 2019
One man arrested and is in custody. More to follow.
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